Short Stories Illustrated by Artists continues the Front Forty Press tradition of double blind collaboration. Front Forty Press paired writers and visual artists together on this project without ever having the artists interact with one another at all. The broad range of talent and the freedom of this collaborative process make Front Forty Press’ fourth title something to be enjoyed by everyone.

Front Forty Press sent out a ‘call for entries’ to writers of short stories. Seven short stories were then selected and paired with seven talented painters. The painters were supplied with paper and asked to create visual interpretations of the stories at their own discretion (but without the aid of photographs or computers).

Esteemed writer Robert McGee is paired with Cuban born Chicago painter/multidisciplinary artist Eduardo De Soignie for the books opening short, “Brokenheart”. The protagonist tells of an unfortunate date with a girl who just can’t figure out why her heart is always breaking. Sasha Earle delicately illustrates the words of Dave Follman in his story of infantile curiosity at its most grotesque in “The Eyeball”. Artist, writer, and teacher Dan Rybicky narrates a story of obsession entitled “Picky”. Donald Jackson supplies the visuals with bold splashes of color juxtaposed with line drawings of Picky Becky, the story’s olfactory obsessed heroine. Novelist Corey Mesler is paired with artist Dennis Callahan to produce “Killer”, a story of a dog walk gone terribly awry. Heather Malloy recreates the thrill and isolation that coexist in a one-night stand encounter in her short “Untitled #6”. Painter Kimberly Thurston’s images are abstractions of recognizable forms that have a sense of anonymity that are the perfect accompaniment to Malloy’s story. The illustrious pair, Dario Stipisic and Renata Stojkowski compose the visual treat that is “A Hint of Light”. The book closes with “October”, written by Treavor Doherty. Dream-like landscapes of the people and events that make the season is beautifully constructed by artist Jenine Clevenger.

The resulting compilation is designed by David Castillo. Short Stories Illustrated by Artists is a color hardcover, 100 pages.